ABOUT US
The South African Whale Disentanglement Network (SAWDN) is the official permitted cetacean rescue team for South Africa, consisting of a dedicated, trained network of volunteers that undertake dangerous disentanglement operations. SAWDN has been issued with a standing permit, to carry out this restricted activity, under the Threatened or Protected Marine Species Regulations, 2017. This allows SAWDN members (for disentanglement purposes) to approach all cetacean species closely, to inspect and where necessary remove fishing gear or abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) carried by whales.
Entanglement often results in severe injuries, or death by drowning. It also affects the feeding abilities and reproduction success of whales. Cetaceans can not only get caught up in discarded ocean debris but often in active fishing gear such as nets, ropes, and buoys. Even if they do survive the initial injuries and resultant septicaemia, the increase in drag renders them with limited abilities to dive for feeding and nursing purposes, while drastically increasing their energy requirements. Consequently, whales slowly starve to death. In some cases, nets or ropes lock their jaws closed or leave them tethered to the ocean floor where they swim slowly in circles until they drown with the high tide. In other cases, constricting rope slowly “cuts” through body parts due to the movement of the whale when swimming and diving. Septicaemia results in a slow and painful death or the amputation of extremities such as flukes or flippers. These ropes may becomes embedded in the blubber, making recue options more difficult. If the condition of an entangled female deteriorates, her calfs survival is also placed at risk and a near-term foetus may even be aborted.Ultimately, unless disentangled, the whale dies a slow and painful death by starvation or infection, which on average takes six months till death! Recent research on North Atlantic Right whales, has indicated that they are presently threatened with extinction due to entanglement and ship strikes, and it has been shown that the average size and body condition of adult females has decreased, resulting in the calving interval being extended with fewer calves being born annually. This has exacerbated the population decline.
Rescuing these large powerful animals, is essential but also dangerous work for the SAWDN responders as whales see them as predators. The best way to manage this risk to both human and the animal has been to formalise the rescue effort. Countries worldwide have set up specialist rescue teams under the auspices of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) where crew safety is a priority.
Similarly, SAWDN was established in 2006 to facilitate training, coordinate, and document whales and other cetacean entanglement in South Africa. This information is then forwarded to the IWC, through the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE). SAWDN has been working with the fishing industry towards prevention and where possible reducing entanglements in fishing gear.
A SAWDN member has been appointed as a member of the IWC’s Expert Disentanglement Committee and is the IWC’s, expert whale disentanglement trainer for the African continent. The SAWDN member has already trained Kenya, Mayotte and Reunion in disentanglement procedures. He has also assisted the IWC with whale disentanglement training in Italy and in Puerto Williams (Chile), where both Chile and Argentina have recently been trained.
Today, SAWDN consists of trained volunteers from various organisations and industries, including:
• National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI).
• KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board.
• Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE).
• Mammal Research Institute.
• University of Pretoria.
• South African National Parks.
• South African Police Service.
• Border Patrol Unit of the SAP.
• Cape Nature.
• Bayworld Aquarium.
• East London Aquarium,
• East London Museum.
• Various boat-based whale watching and shark cage diving operators.
• Rock lobster industry
• Octopus industry
• Dolphin Action and Protection Group
• and is assisted by Telkom Maritime Radio Services
WHAT WE DO
SAWDN now covers most of the South Africa’s coastline with 24 stations and through the IWC, trains African members in neighbouring countries. SAWDN’s specific aims are to:
• Rescue and disentangle cetaceans in South African economic waters,
• Develop whale disentanglement as a network of all concerned associations within South Africa,
• Develop the relevant interests, skills, and competence of all SAWDN members,
• Act as the official representative for all whale disentanglement in South Africa,
• Facilitate the training and participation of affiliated members in whale disentanglement activities
• Encourage and monitor norms, standards, and ethics that align with the IWC’s best practice guidelines for whale disentanglement
• Motivate and facilitate the provision of approved equipment, resources, standardized protocols, improve facilities, equipment, and safety procedures for all affiliated members of SAWDN.
• Through the IWC train more African States in the future viz. Gabon, Congo and Namibia.
• Contribute constructively on disentanglement at any other forums in the interest of SAWDN’s development.
• Attend relevant IWC Whale Disentanglement Meetings to acquire the latest knowledge available on new and improved ideas of disentanglement.
• Facilitate the fishing community’s involvement in mitigation measures (acoustic releases and sinking rope) and the immediate reporting of entangled whales to SAWDN, while engendering a spirit of good fishing practices.
• Foster scientific research into all aspects of mitigation measures, the improvement of disentanglement gear, and modifications to reduce whale entanglement in fishing gear.
• Document all entanglement records within South African waters in order to better understand the number and species of whales affected and provide statistics to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment to be incorporated into the IWC database.
• Coordinate and administer whale disentanglement in South Africa and maintain a spirit of goodwill amongst all persons and organization’s interested therein.
Support SAWDN
Entangled cetaceans die a very slow and painful death if unassisted. With your help and donations we can reduce the effects of suffering and the numbers of dying cetaceans in South Africa. The average cost of a disentanglement kit is presently in the region of R45,000 (the cost of transport and training of new stations is not included in this figure).
SAWDN has responded or documented to 360 whales in need since 2006. We want to help even more, but we are limited by our equipment, location of responding stations and number of volunteers. We need your support to design, purchase specialised disentanglement equipment to safely free whales, and to conduct rigorous training to ensure the safety of our members.
Presently, there are gaps in our network around the coast where there are no trained responders. Nothing is more disconcerting for SAWDN members than not being able to respond to a reported entangled whale. This recently happened in August 2023, when a new born calf was reported by a diamond vessel entangled in a tuna longline and attached to a marker buoy, 17nm offshore - halfway between Alexander Bay and Port Nolloth. The calf had obviously been abandoned by its mother and had eventually broken free and came to lie next to the diamond vessel (for comfort while possibly believing it could nurse!) It was still severely wrapped in spiralled tuna main longline. Unfortunately, SAWDN did not have any trained stations (or members) in that area and we were unable to assist the calf. We assume that the calf must have died alone – a slow and painful death!
Our disentanglement equipment includes specially designed knives and hooks at the end of long poles, used by SAWDN members to cut free whales from nets, ropes, or buoys without further harming the animal. As mentioned previously, each kit costs R45000, excluding the associated training costs. SAWDN needs to keep raising additional funds to close the gaps between stations by training and supplying additional disentanglement kits. This will ensure that we can better respond to whales in distress along the country’s extensive coastline, and to improve on tools, replace gear that is consistently being broken or jammed in entangled gear and lost or pulled out of responders hands.
Please help us raise funds to reduce the suffering:
Account Details:
THE SOUTH AFRICAN WHALE DISENTANGLEMENT NETWORK
(Funding Registration Number: 219 – 529).
Bank: STANDARD
Account type: SAVINGS
Account number: 07 341 743 2
Branch: BLUE ROUTE CENTRE
Branch code: 051001
SWIFT code: SBZAZAJJ
